There are three basic factors which impact the way a golfer puts a golf ball. These three basic factors are: (i) the physiology of the golfer's body, (ii) the psychology of the golfer's approach to putting, and (iii) the putter itself. Each of these three factors is interrelated to the other two factors.
Included in the physiology of the golfer's body are the golfer's skeletal and muscular structure, the golfer's eye-hand coordination, and the golfer's hearing.
Included in the psychology of the golfer's approach to putting is the golfer's conscious and subconscious approach to moving a putter in such a way that the golfer's putting stroke imparts motion to a stationary golf ball across a green in a direction toward the hole on a golf course.
Finally, the dimensions and geometric relationships included in the specifications describing a putter make up the putter itself. It is the putter which implements the physiological and psychological aspects of hitting a golf ball.
A more detailed explanation of the physiological, psychological and putter factors associated with hitting a golf ball appear in the paragraphs which follow.
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE GOLFER'S BODY
Skeletal and Muscular Structure--The skeletal size of a golfer's body (height, length of arms, width of shoulders, etc.) impacts the shape of a golfer's putting stroke. Each golfer's putting stroke is as unique and personal as his/her finger print. Similarly, the size and strength of a golfer's muscles can have a major impact on the geometry of a golfer's putting stroke.
Eye-Hand Coordination--The ability of a golfer to visually determine the location of the hole with respect to the location of the golf ball and then to properly move his/her arms and hands to aim the stroke of a putter so that the golf ball moves across the green towards the hole is a function of the eye-hand coordination of each individual golfer. Four factors affect the visual component of eye-hand coordination: (a) far sightedness, (b) near sightedness, (c) left eye dominance and (d) right eye dominance. Each one of these four factors or a combination of distance and directional factors will have a significant effect on the golfer's visual perception of the location of the hole--specifically, where the golfer believes he/she should aim the golf ball.
While the hole itself never moves on the green, the factors which impact on the vision of a human being may actually cause the visual perception of the location of a hole to a golfer to be different than its actual location on the green. In other words, for most golfers, the hole is not exactly where the golfer's eyes perceive that it is located.
Sound--The golfer's hearing or the ability to perceive the sound made by the striking face portion of the putter's head hitting the golf ball contribute to the feedback a golfer gets from the putter. The sound of a putter's head hitting a golf ball together with the golfer's visual picture of the head of a putter striking the golf ball and the impact forces transmitted from the putter's head up the shaft to the golfer's hands provide the "feel" associated with a particular putter. In golf, as in any other sport, golfers seek to replicate the "feel" of a successful putting stroke from their putter each time they play.
PSYCHOLOGY OF THE GOLFER'S APPROACH TO PUTTING
The conscious approach of a golfer to the striking of a stationary golf ball to move it toward a hole on a golf course includes the golfer's many conscious thoughts such as: the assessment of the golf course's landscape which surrounds and the green, the read of the slope and length of the green, the golfer's personal adjustment of the position of the putter's head with respect to the golf ball, and the triggering of the right muscle memory to move the putter along the path necessary to make the golf ball travel along a selected target line from its position of rest toward the hole.
The subconscious approach of a golfer to the movement of a putter to properly strike a stationary golf ball includes the underlying ability to envision the golf ball traveling along the target line to the hole, the ability to position one's body and hands to adjust the position of the putter's striking face to aim the putt toward the hole, and the ability to adjust the force with which the golf ball is struck to achieve the desired travel distance. The effect of the subconscious mind on a golfer's putting stroke may even cause the golfer to adjust those changes made in the golfer's conscious approach to striking a stationary golf ball. For example, some professional golfers have learned that successful putts are made by aiming for either the right edge or left edge of the hole. After a while, aiming to one edge of a hole or the other no longer becomes a conscious choice; rather it becomes part of the subconscious approach a professional golfer uses to line up a putt.
THE PUTTER ITSELF
The specifications describing a putter include (from top to bottom):
1. Grip type and size PA1 2. Shaft length PA1 3. Hosel length PA1 4. Club head: PA1 THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE SHAFT AND THE PUTTER HEAD (LIE ANGLE)
a. Size and design PA2 b. Material PA2 c. Lie angle PA2 d. Loft angle PA2 e. Offset PA2 f. Balance
The specifications of a putter are particularly important as many golf teaching professionals believe that individual golfers can dramatically improve their golf score if the golfer's putter is custom made to fit the size, the structure, and the strength of the golfer's body. Because each person's golf swing and physical capabilities are unique, custom made putters can maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of each golfer's unique putting stroke and physical capabilities. In general terms, maximizing the performance of an individual golfer can be obtained, in part, by adjusting the length of the putter's shaft and further by adjusting the spatial and geometric inter-relationships between the ball-striking surface on the putter's head with respect to the putter's shaft. For many years, golf club manufacturers made putters having only a predetermined shaft length, lie angle, and ball-striking face loft angle. It was then up to the individual golfer to make subtle conscious and subconscious changes to his/her putting stroke to use these prior art putters to properly direct the golf ball toward the hole.
Despite the many years that the game of golf has been played, many golf club manufacturers have not thoroughly understood the complex spatial and geometric inter-relationships between the striking face portion of the putter's head and the putter's shaft. The next few paragraphs will lay the foundation for an understanding of these complex spacial and geometric inter-relationships. This understanding is necessary to more fully appreciate the laser aim determination system of the present invention which is used to provide those measurements needed to create a custom made putter.
The Parts of a Putter
1. Grip type and size. The grip on the top of the shaft which contacts the golfer's hands is typically a rubber, leather, cork or plastic cover designed to fit securely over the uppermost end of the putter's shaft. Most putter grips include a flat surface. Golfers use the flat surface on the grip to orient the placement of their hands on the grip. Most golfers prefer that the flat surface to be on the top of the putter's shaft so that the flat surface is oriented in a plane perpendicular to the striking face portion of the putter. A smaller number of golfers prefer an alternative placement of the flat surface. The diameter of a grip should be such that the golfer's fingers may comfortably wrap around that portion the grip to hold the putter securely while the golfer's body is properly positioned for a putting stroke. Thus, a golfer with small hands will use a smaller diameter grip and a golfer with large hands will use a large diameter grip.
2. Shaft length. The shaft is the second major portion of the putter. A putter's shaft is typically a hollow metal tube. The shaft may also be solid. For example, in recent years solid putter shafts have been made from graphite. It is the adjustment of the length of the shaft portion of a putter which is primarily used to fit the putter to the height of an individual golfer.
3. Hosel length. At the bottom of the putter's shaft is the hosel. The hosel connects the bottom ofthe putter's shaft to the putter's head. A particular design for a hosel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,409 which is included herein by reference. The bottom of the putter shaft may either be received in the top of the hosel or the top of the hosel may be inserted into the hollow interior of the putter's shaft. Alternatively, an interconnecting insert piece may be inserted in the top of the hosel and also into the hollow portion of the club shaft. Some golfers prefer a short hosel, while others prefer a long hosel. The hosel length affects the golfer's visual perception of the putter's head when it is lined up against a stationary golf ball in preparation for a putting stroke.
4. Club head. At the lower end of the hosel is the putter's head. The putter's head includes a ball-striking face and a portion behind the ball-striking face to both support the ball-striking face and give weight to the putter's head. The angular orientation of the ball-striking face as it strikes a stationary golf ball determines the extent of vertical force imparted to the golf ball and thus the golf ball's lift off the green. The club head design of a putter may be a blade, a perimeter or heel-toe weighted club head, or a mallet style club head.
The material from which a putter's head is made imparts a certain "feel" to a putter as well as a distinctive sound on the impact of the ball-striking face with a stationary golf ball. As previously indicated, the feel of a putter is a significant part of the golfer's ability to properly hit the golf ball in a desired direction to the desired distance.
Further, the visual picture of the alignment of the putter's head with the golf ball is a significant contributing factor to the way a golfer positions the club head to aim his/her putt.
Having now generally described the parts of a putter, a still further understanding of the fitting method and portable golf club customizing system of the present invention may be had by describing the various spatial and geometric adjustments which can be made to a putter to suit the body size, the body structure and the eye-hand coordination of an individual golfer. Because of the importance of the complex inter-relationships of some of the foregoing parts of a putter, one to another, these interrelationships will be explained in greater detail in the following paragraphs.
SHAFT LENGTH OVER THE PUTTER HEAD
The most basic spatial relationship is the length of the putter's shaft over the putter's head. The length of the putter's shaft determines the position of the golfer's body when making a putting stroke. Proper positioning of a golfer's body is essential to making the golf ball travel the desired distance along the target line to the hole.
THE OFFSET OF THE BALL-STRIKING FACE PORTION OF THE PUTTER HEAD FROM THE LONG AXIS OF THE SHAFT
The striking face 104 is positioned perpendicular to the target line T toward the hole H, when the putt is to be made over a flat surface.
The second spatial relationship between a putter's head and putter's shaft is offset distance. The offset distance is the distance between the plane of the ball-striking face portion of a putter's head and an extension of the long axis of the putter's shaft. Shown specifically, in FIG. 1A, is a putter 100 having no offset distance. Therein it will be seen that the front edge of the hosel 102 is effectively parallel with the striking face 104 of the putter's head 106.
A slight offset 112 is shown in FIG. 1B. Therein it may be seen that an extension of the long axis 110 of the putter's shaft 118 is slightly ahead of the ball-striking face 104 of the putter's head 106. Further, in FIG. 1C, a even larger offset 114 is shown. The offset distance determines how the golfer aligns his visual picture of the golf ball 1000 with the striking face portion of the putter's head. This alignment has a significant effect on a golfer's swing or putting stroke.
In addition to adjusting the visual picture of the putter's head 106 hitting the golf ball 1000, the size of the offset has a direct correlation to the size of the "sweet spot" on the striking face 104 of the putter's head 106. The "sweet spot" is the center of gravity of a putter's head in the toe-heel direction. As the offset distance increases, so does the size of the sweet spot. Thus, the larger the size of the sweet spot, the more stable the putter is when the ball contact point on the striking face portion of the putter's head 106 is away from the actual center of the sweet spot.
In FIGS. 2A and 2B, the effect of the lie angle is shown. Specifically, in FIG. 2A, a putter's head 106 is shown wherein the lie angle needs to be decreased or flattened in order for the bottom surface 116 or more specifically the toe 118 of the putter's head 106 to be closer to the ground. In FIG. 2B is shown the opposite condition. Therein the lie angle bend must be increased in order for the heel 120 of the putter's head to be closer to the ground. While the standard lie angle bend is approximately 72.degree., the proper lie angle for an individual golfer depends both on the distance that the golfer stands from the golf ball 1000, the golfer's body position, and the golfer's arm and hand position. This distance, body position and arm and hand position all affect the golfer's visual picture of the intersection of the putter's head 106 with the golf ball 1000 just as the offset distance affects the golfer's visual picture of the intersection of the putter's head 106 and the golf ball 1000.
THE ANGLE OF THE STRIKING FACE PORTION OF THE PUTTER HEAD OFF VERTICAL (LOFT ANGLE)
When the striking face 104 portion of a putter's club head 106 hits a golf ball 1000 it should both slightly lift the golf ball 1000 with a vertical force component and impart translational force to the golf ball 1000 with a horizontal force component to move the golf ball 1000 closer to the hole. In putters, the ideal lift angle or loft is 2.degree. to 4.degree.. When a stationary golf ball 1000 is struck by the striking face 104 portion of the putter's head 106 which is angled between 2.degree. to 4.degree., enough vertical force is imparted to the golf ball 1000 to lift it from the grass yet enough translational force is imparted to the golf ball 1000 to cause it to roll across the green toward the hole. This ideal condition is shown in FIG. 3A. Unfortunately, the spatial relationship between the putter's shaft 118 and the putter's head 106 caused by the posture of a golfer can have a dramatic effect on the loft angle of on the ball-striking face 104 portion of a putter's head 106 as it contacts the ball 1000. In FIG. 3B is shown a situation where the spatial relationship between the putter's shaft 118 and the putter's head 106 is a result of a rear press by a golfer. A rear press causes the actual loft angle to increase to 6.degree. or more when the golf ball is hit. In FIG. 3C the opposite condition is shown. By an improper spatial relationship between the putter's shaft 118 and the putter's head 106, as a result of a forward press of a golfer, the loft angle has been decreased to 0.degree. or even to a negative angle when the ball-striking face contacts the stationary golf ball 1000.
THE BALANCE OF THE PUTTER HEAD OFF HORIZONTAL
If one were to place a finger at the point of balance on a putter shaft 118 so that the weight of the putter shaft 118 and grip on one side of the balance point were effectively equal to the weight of the club head 106 and shaft 118 on the other side of the balance point, the club head 106 would turn and seek its own angular balance orientation with respect to the long axis 110 the club shaft 118. For example, if the toe of the club head 106 drops down, this is called toe-heavy balance. If the toe of the club head rotates upward, this is called heel-heavy balance. If the face 104 of the club head 106 remains horizontal this is called face balance. The balance orientation of the club head 106 with respect to the long axis of the club shaft 118 is particularly important for a golfer that has a decelerating swing or putting stroke. For example, if the golfer's swing decelerates the club head 106 will tend to follow its heaviest part. A toe heavy balanced club head 106 will tend to follow the toe of the club head 106 and thereby change the angle at which the ball-striking face 104 of the club head 106 hits the stationary golf ball 1000. Similarly, a heel-heavy balanced club head 106 will tend to follow the heel of the club head and change the angle at which the ball-striking face 104 hits a stationary golf ball 1000.
THE INTER-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFSET DISTANCE AND PUTTER HEAD BALANCE
As previously indicated, a clear benefit of increasing the offset distance is its direct correlation to increasing the size of the sweet spot on the striking face portion 104 of the golf club head 106. This is best explained by using an example of a faced balance putter with a no offset distance. If a golf ball is dropped on the sweet spot of a putter supported at the central balance point on the shaft so that the shaft is horizontal, then the shaft 118 will not tend to rotate. But, if one drops the golf ball so that it impacts the ball-striking face portion of the putter's head away from the sweet spot, the force of the impact on the putter's head 106 will cause the shaft 118 to rotate. If one bounces a golf ball on the striking face 104 portion of a putter's head 106 with a greater offset distance, the tendency of the shaft to rotate will be reduced because of the larger sweet spot. That is, more distance is required from the sweet spot to cause the putter's head 106 to turn and the shaft 118 to twist on a putter having a larger offset distance. A golfer who has trouble hitting the golf ball on the sweet spot may improve his or her game by increasing the offset distance between the axis 110 of the putter's shaft 118 and the striking face 104 of the putter's head 106.
EXISTING CUSTOM PUTTERS
Unfortunately, in most commonly available prior art putters, it is usually impossible to precisely adjust the complex spatial and geometric relationships of the putters head 106 with respect to the putter's shaft 118. Thus the golfer using these prior art putter's must learn to modify the position of his/her body and his/her grip to adapt to the putter.
Some golfers elect to have their putters specially made to suit their swing or putting stroke and style of play. Quite often these golfers are looking for a certain feel rather than for a correction in the spatial and geometric relationships of the putter's head to the putter's shaft to correct for their personal physiology, particularly, their eye-hand coordination. However, when these prior art, specially made, putters are first provided to the golfer the need often arises to make special adjustments or "fine tune" the putter to give the custom made putter a better feel which many golfers believe is the key to maximum performance. Accordingly, the specially made putter must be returned to the factory for adjustment or entirely remade. If the adjustments are incorrect or the adjustments affect other parts of the complex inter-relationships of the spatial and geometric aspects of putter design, the custom made putter may once again have to be returned to the factory to suit the tastes of the individual golfer.
None of the prior art customizing systems have attempted to adjust the spatial relationship of the striking face of the putter's head to the long axis of the putter's shaft to correct for any problems in the golfer's personal physiology, particularly eye-hand coordination. Nor have any prior art customizing systems sought to provide a portable system where a custom made putter suited to an individual golfer's physiology can be fabricated right on the golf course.
THE NEED IN THE ART
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,409, an improved hosel system is disclosed for use in golf clubs. This improved hosel system for making a custom club allowed the angular relationship of the putter's head to the putter's shaft to be easily and accurately adjusted. While this hosel system dramatically improved the feel of the putter in the golfer's hands when hitting a golf ball, it was also found that the disclosed hosel could be bent to customize the spatial and geometric relationship of the putter's head with respect to the putter's shaft. The need remained, however, to provide a system for accurately determining the directional aiming tendencies of an individual golfer to properly bend the hosel to enable manufacture a custom made putter suited to the physiology of an individual golfer.